Car Seat Inspections

The Professional Paramedic Association of Ottawa highly recommends having your car seats properly installed and inspected. The paramedic association no longer has certified or trained inspectors so please contact volunteers at the following organizations.

Ottawa Safety Council

Best Fit Car Seat Program

History

In the spring of 2013, the Ottawa Safety Council (OSC), in consult with Safer Roads Ottawa and the Ministry of Transportation's Safety Education and Training branch identified a gap in the child car seat installation and inspection services in the Ottawa area.

It is Ottawa Safety Council's goal to be the leading voice in safety and injury-prevention education programs to residents of Ottawa. Recognizing that the correct installation of infant and child car seats can make the critical difference in a vehicle collision, OSC embarked on a two-year test pilot to test the efficacy and sustainability of a Car Seat Inspection and Installation service provided by the Ottawa Safety Council.

On Thursday, October 3, 2013, as part of the province of Ontario's Seatbelt Campaign, the Ottawa Safety Council along with Councilor Keith Egli, Chair of the City of Ottawa's Transportation Committee, Bob Rintoul, General Manager for Myers Cadillac Chev Buick GMC, and representatives from the Ottawa Police Service and Ottawa Paramedic Service, officially launched the BEST FIT Car Seat Program - a new child car seat inspection and installation service for the City of Ottawa.

About Us

The Best Fit Car Seat Program offers public clinics across Ottawa, where Ottawa Safety Council trained Children's Restraint System Technicians provide education and inspection to ensure that car seats and booster seats are installed safely. The goal of the program is to promote, educate and demonstrate current best practices regarding the safe transportation of children in vehicles. The program is run by dedicated, trained volunteers and staff who have a commitment to child safety.

Registration is required and appointments are 40 minutes in length. You will be asked to install your car seat to the best of your ability, prior to coming to the clinic, as well as to bring both your vehicle and your car seat manual. After you register, you will receive an email confirmation with further details a few days prior to the clinic. Please note that some clinics are sponsored and offered at no cost to the participants.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT CAR SEAT FOR YOUR INFANT

Choosing the right car seat for your baby can be overwhelming. The Ottawa Safety Council, in collaboration with Safer Roads Ottawa and the Ottawa Police Services, produced a short video to help answer some common questions surrounding choosing the right car seat for your infant.

For more information on the program, and upcoming child car seat clinics:

SEATS for Kids Canada

S.E.A.T.S for Kids Canada is a very hard working community group that has previously worked alongside the Professional Paramedic Association of Ottawa. The Seats for Kids Canada organization is comprised of very knowledgeable certified Car Seat Technicians and they currently handle all Car Seat Inspections in Ottawa.

S.E.A.T.S for Kids is a non-profit organization, located in Ottawa, dedicated to increasing the appropriate and correct use of child restraint systems of children in our community.

S.E.A.T.S for Kids offers a wide variety of services including (but not limited to) the following:

car seat inspection clinics

nationally recognized certification courses

information sessions

seminars

appearances at community events

NOTE: Transport Canada reports that every year, 10,000 children under the age of 12 are injured in collisions. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children and youth according to the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program.

Your child's safety is important. Attend one of the S.E.A.T.S for Kids inspection clinics or join their nationally certified community volunteers to learn about automotive safety and proper car seat installation. Certified inspectors will be on-site to help ensure that your children are buckled up safely.

The
is responsible for promoting the practice of Paramedicine and
ensuring the highest level of care for our patients. We are leaders in the advancement of Paramedicine and
achieve our objectives through public awareness, research and education. We lobby for self-regulation under
the Regulated Health Professions Act. We also assist in fundraising for community-based charities. The
is a proud chapter of the Ontario Paramedic Association and the Paramedic Association
of Canada. The
() is not a labour union.